Can Babies Have Hemp Seeds?
There’s growing interest in hemp seeds as a dietary supplement because of their high nutritional value and functional food properties.
The whole family can reap the health benefits of nutritious foods, even our babies and children. And introducing a baby to a variety of healthy foods has an added advantage. When you expose your baby to various flavors while weaning, it may help reduce picky eating later on. And developing an interest in healthy foods helps set your child up for healthy lifelong habits.
But hemp seeds for babies? Are there hemp seed benefits? Are they safe? What about seed allergies?
Keep reading to find out what hemp seeds are, the possible benefits, safety concerns, and tips on feeding hemp seeds to babies.
What Are Hemp Seeds?
Hemp seeds are the fruit of the Cannabis sativa L. plant.
The most commonly known use of Cannabis is a medicinal or recreational substance. However, the hemp plant has many uses, and no part goes to waste. The plant makes paper, textiles, cosmetic products, essential oils, and pharmaceuticals. The seeds are the edible part of the plant.
Hemp seeds contain high-quality protein, and hemp food products are nutritious vegan protein options. The seeds can be processed to make:
Hemp hearts (the highly nutritious soft outer shell of the hemp seed).
Hemp seed oil (contains essential fatty acids and omega fatty acids needed for brain health).
Hemp flour (gluten-free and can be substituted in recipes for other gluten-free flour. And you get the added benefit of extra protein!)
Hemp milk (plant-based milk with fewer calories, protein, and carbohydrates than cow's milk but has about the same fat content. Maybe your baby has a milk allergy, or the family follows a vegan diet. In that case, it's essential to know what to look for in non-dairy milk before deciding which cow’s milk alternative is best for your family).
Hemp seed protein powder (which is a vegan protein powder and provides all the essential amino acids).
Hemp Seeds for Babies?
Hemp may not be the first thing you think of when looking for healthy first foods for babies. However, hemp seeds have many potential health benefits worth considering…on this plate of finger foods is a soft-cooked cauliflower floret and some soft, peeled, tender-cooked apple rolled in hemp seeds.
What Are the Benefits of Hemp Seeds for Babies?
Not only can we eat hemp seeds, but they're loaded with nutrients including protein, fiber, healthy fats, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals. They're also rich in natural antioxidants and have functional food properties.
Functional foods are foods that have additional potential health benefits beyond basic nutrition when you include them regularly in your diet. For example, berries contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation. And yogurt contains live active cultures and is a probiotic that helps maintain the “good” gut bacteria.
Hemp seeds contain powerful antioxidants that protect you from oxidative stress, inflammation, and the risk of chronic disease.
Hemp Seed Nutrition
Hemp seeds are one of the most nutritious seeds in the world. They’re high in quality protein, fiber, essential fatty acids (EFAs), and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including brain-boosting omega-3s.
Hemp Seed Nutrition
In 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds, you'll get:
166 Calories
9.48 g Protein
11.4 g Total polyunsaturated acids
1.2 g Total Fiber
According to the Dietary References Intakes, daily fiber requirements for babies 6-12 months haven’t yet been established. However, young kids between 1 and 3 years old need about 19 g of fiber.
Hemp seeds contain 10–15% insoluble fiber, which helps keep things moving in your baby’s GI tract and prevents constipation.
If your family mainly eats a plant-based diet, hemp seeds can make a great addition to your pantry staples. This is because hemp has all the essential amino acids, so it's a complete protein. Additionally, hemp protein is less processed and easier to digest than many other plant proteins, including soy.
Naturally, the potential health benefits of hemp seeds have caught the attention of health-conscious parents. But can babies have hemp seeds?
Let’s look at what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says.
Are Hemp Seeds Safe For Babies?
Most of the negative side effects of the Cannabis plant are related to the psychotropic effects.
But, the seeds from the Cannabis plant do not naturally contain THC or CBD and will not get your baby “high.” The FDA regulates functional foods in the United States. According to the FDA, hemp seeds are classified as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).
The seeds can pick up trace amounts of THC and CBD during processing. But, hemp products, including seeds, must have less than 0.3% THC.
Can Babies Be Allergic to Hemp Seeds?
Choking and severe allergic reactions are the most significant safety concerns when introducing new foods to infants. Peanuts, tree nuts, and now sesame seeds are some of the top food allergens.
Food allergies are on the rise. Hemp seeds are not a common food allergen, but recent research on adults found that hemp seeds have caused anaphylactic reactions.
As more and more people consume hemp products, we may see an increase in allergic reactions.
Allergy specialists now recommend feeding common food allergens to infants early to prevent food allergies. Like any new food, follow the same food introduction guidelines when you offer hemp seeds to your baby for the first time.
How to Give Hemp Seeds to Babies
Babies can start eating hemp seeds from about 6 months of age, once they’re ready to eat solids.
Hemp seeds have a mild nutty flavor that doesn't overpower other flavors in foods. They can be ground into meal or protein powder or eaten raw. The tiny pebble-sized seeds are larger than sesame or chia seeds but small enough that they're not a choking hazard for babies.
You can use hemp seeds instead of chia seeds in recipes (unless the chia seeds are used as a thickening agent). Seeds can be baked into bread or added to cereals for different textures. The different textures help your baby become more accepting of a greater variety of foods.
And seeds are a convenient shelf-stable food you can pack when you’re out.
By the way, did you know you can make your own hemp milk by combining hemp seeds and water?
Here are some additional ways to prepare hemp seeds for baby-led weaning:
Hemp Seeds & Baby-led Feeding
Roll avocado, banana or other slippery fruits in hemp seeds to give your baby a better grip
Once babies are 12 to 18 months old, use hemp hearts or seeds in cookies, pancakes, and sandwich recipes
Add to smoothies or sprinkle on yogurt for more texture
Add to snack bars like this baby-friendly apple bar for extra crunch (and nutrients!)
Some Final Words
Offering a wide array of foods to your baby puts them on the path to accepting new flavors and healthy foods, including vegetables!
I’m all for including a variety of plant-based proteins in a child’s diet. And an added benefit of eating hemp seeds is that they’re loaded with antioxidants and essential fatty acids.
If you’re getting ready to start your baby on solids, download my FREE Baby-Led Feeding Essential Checklist to make sure you have everything you need to get started. You might also want to check out my new online course for parents, based on my best-selling book which will walk you through the whole process of starting solids using a baby-led approach.
Alternatively, if your baby is almost ready to start solids and you’re looking for someone you trust to map out the entire first 12 weeks of your baby’s solid food-feeding journey, check out my new Safe & Simple 12 Week Meal Plan! Over 30 recipes, weekly shopping lists, tons of balanced baby meals, a complete plan for top allergen introduction, & lots of guidance (with photos) on how to safely serve each food.
And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support for yourself, your babies and/or your kids, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice. Looking forward to meeting you online…
